Knitting machine



Feb. l1, 1941. v. LOMBARDI 2,231,673

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. .4, 1939 16 Sheets-Sheet l Feb V. LOMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE A16 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4, i939 Tige v ATTO R N EY Feb, l1, 1941. v. LOMBARDI 2,231,673

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1939 1e sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR. W'Wc /almaffiz' BY W I MM.

ATTORNEY.

ff-w @f Filed Feb. 4, 1939 16 Sheets-Shea?I 4 lNvENToR Wwe/1f Zauan/ BY WM ATTORNEY ew HLP 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTO R 14k/wf? lW/dff .2: y ATTORN EY V.- LOMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1939 llllh. Illlllll Feb. 11, 1941.

Feb. 1l, 1941. v. LOMBARDI KNIT'TING MACHINE Filed'Feb. 4, 1939 16 Sheets-Shee:I 6

ATTO R N EY Feb. l1, 1941. v, LOMBARDI 2,231,673

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1939 16 Sheets-Sheet '7 133 C@ gf# Y WMM@ ATTORNEY V. LOMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE Feb. l1, 1941.

Filed Feb. 4, 1939 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTORNEY Feb. 11, 1941. v. LOMBARDI KNTTING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Feb. 4, 1939 Feb. 11, 1941. v V, LOMBARpl 2,231,673

KNITTING MCHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1939 16 Sheets-Sheet vl0 El /M-'y 4% ATTORNEY Feb, 11, 1941. v. LoMBARDl 2,231,673

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1939 16 Sheets-Shes?l 11 BY WM /fwly ATTORNEY Feb. 11, 1941. v.v| oMBARD1 2,231,673

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1939 16 Sheets-Sheet l2 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Feb. v l1, 1941.) v. LOMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet 13 Feb. 1.1, 194:1.`

v. I/ OMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1939 16 Sheets-Sheet l4 BY /M47 4614;,

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 11', 1941. ,v. LOMBARDI 2,231,673

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1959' :Le sheets-sheet 15 ATTORN EY Feb. 11, V. LOMBARDI 2,231,673l

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 4l, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet 16- ATTORNEY i Patented Feb. 1 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE KNITTING MACHINE Vincent Lombardi, Garden City, N. Y., assignor to Lombardi Knitting Machine Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York This invention relates'to knitting machines and to correlated improvements and discoveries appertaining thereto.

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved form of knitting machine adapted to produce a variety of thetypes of design fabrics and fabrics of a similar character.

A more speciic object is theprovision of an improved form of circular knitting machine adapted to produce improved types of fabrics wherein auxiliary yarn is present only at one or more portions of the fabric.

A further object is the provision of improved means for incorporating yarn into a fabric in l5 such manner that the yarn extends back and forth and is caught into the fabric in one or more portions of both its forward and return extents. Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

I 20 The invention accordingly vcomprises features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangements of parts, and the correlated constructions, all as exemplied in the detailed disclosure hereinafter set forth, the scope ofthe 25 application thereof being indicated in the claims. -For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference'should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

30 which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of machine embodying the invention, certain of the parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lower left-hand side of Fig. 1, the drum casing being shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View of the lower portionof the machine;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view along the line 40 4 4 of Fig. 2;

' Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; y

Fig. 6 is a view similar to the central portion of Fig. 5 showing the parts reciprocable ring and springs in a different position; i

Fig. 7 is a similar view corresponding to a part of Fig. 5 and showing in dotted lines the position of the springs when the reciprocable ring is in 50 the position of Fig. 6, but whenmotion ofthe control linger is prevented;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view alongthe line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the spring construcv 65 tion;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section along the line lll- Ill of Fig. 4; v-

Fig. .11 is a horizontal section along the line ll-H of Fig.4;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged view .of a portion near 5 the bottom of Fig. 4

Figs. 13-20 are diagrammatic showings of the effect of the control annulusv when in difieren positions;

Fig. 21 is a diagrammatic plan view showing 10 certain of the operative arrangements and possibilities;

VFig. 21a is an enlarged detail plan View of a part of the control mechanism for the control ring;

Fig. 22 is an enlarged detail plan view of another part of-this control mechanism;

Fig. 23 is a vertical sectional view thru one side of a modified form of machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 24 is an enlarged view of the central portion of Fig. 23;

Fig. 25 is a vertical sectional view looking from the left of Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is a fragmentary bottom view of the 25 drum-carrying annulus of Figs. 23-25;

Fig. 27 is a sectional perspective view of a modiiied form ,of machine; y

Fig. 28 is a `fragmentary vertical sectional View looking from the interior of the machine; 30

Fig. 29 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of theform of machine shown in Fig. 27;

Fig. 30 is a plan View of another form of machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 31 is a vertical sectional view along the 35 line 3I-3I of Fig. 30;

Fig. 32 is a vertical sectional view along the line 32-.32 ofy Fig. 30 showing the parts in one position;

Fig. 33 is a similar view showing parts in an- 40 other position;

Fig. 34 is a similar view showing parts in still another position;

Fig. 35 is a fragmentary plan view of a i'ur- 45 ther modified form of machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 36 is a vertical sectional view along the line 36-36 of Fig. 35;

Fig. 37 is a vertical sectional view illustrating 50 still another form of machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 38 lis a vertical sectional view of still another form of machine embodying the invention;

and

Fig. 39 is a horizontal vsectional view along the line 39-39 of Fig. 38.

In Patent No. 2,130,769, issued to me on September 30, 1938, there are disclosed certain types of knitting machines whereby design fabrics embodying stripes, squares, triangles, circles, or other design portions of yarn of one color or character may be economically embodied in a fabric the main portion of which is composed of yarn of another color or character, or whereby strips or pieces of fabric which are wholly or partially unconnected in a course- Wise direction may be formed, or whereby various other novel types of fabric may be produced. By the use of certain of the general principles involved in such machines, design fabrics, fabrics with heavy portions, fabrics with elastic portions, and fabrics of a wide variety of other types may be formed in a simple and effective manner and without employment of undue quantity of design or other yarn whose use at only portions of a fabric or a machine is desired, this being of particular importance in situations wherein relatively expensive design yarn, an elastic yarn, or other such yarn is utilized. The mechanisms particularly exemplified in said patent, while very satisfactory for certain purposes, are subject to certain limitations. It has been found that by the employment of reciprocable .yarn guides and suitable associated mechanism various of these limitations may be overcome and various desirable results secured. Among such results are the provision of a wide variety of design fabrics which are impossible or diicult to produce on previously known types of machines, the handling of types of yarns which would be difficult f or impossible to handle by previous mechanism,

and the facilitation of knitting operations and of the production of various types of fabrics; and it is with machines and mechanisms for achieving such results that the presentJ invention is primarily concerned. In certain of its aspects, however, the invention is concerned with the provision of mechanism utilizable alike in machines having reciprocable yarn guides and in machines wherein yarn guides are relatively stationary with respect to the needle bed.

While the invention in certain of its more specific aspects is directed to the provision of improved types of circular knitting machines and is exemplified in connection with a circular knitting machine having a stationary needle cylinder, the invention in various of its broader aspects may be embodied in circular knitting machines of any well known type, including cylinder machines, dial gmachines, and cylinderand-dial machines, arid also, in certain instances, on flat knitting machines; and may also be embodied in machines wherein the needle bed is rotatable or otherwise movable and certain of the other parts stationary, or wherein the needle bed is stationary and wherein certain of the other parts revolve about or otherwise move along said bed.

The invention, moreover, while exemplified in connection with a latch-needle machine, is in many of its aspects, equally applicable to a spring-needle machine, or to a machine having other types of needles.

In the drawings, rotating parts are cross- -hatched with the lines running from the lower left to the upper right, and the stationary parts are cross-hatched with the lines running from `the upper left to the lower right.

The form of machine exemplified in Figs. l thru 22 comprises a needle bed which, in the present instance, is in the form of a stationary needle cylinder 5, having slots 6 therein. In each of these slots, in the present instance, there is disposed a latch needle 1, it being understood, however, that the invention, at least in the majority of its aspects, is equally applicable to spring needle machines. Secured to the needle cylinder 5 is a sinker bed 8 in the slots 9 on which are disposed a series of sinkers I which are of conventional forrn and which are operated by a rotating sinker ring II. Disposed centrally above the machine is a rotary spider I2, carrying bobbins I3 from each of which yarn is supplied to a main-yarn feed I4, carried on an arm I5 which is removably secured to a member I5' dependently carried from the spider. The spider is supported thru the medium of a plurality of posts I6, carried on a rotating annulus I1, and connected with the spider by means of arms I8. The annulus I1 is driven by means of a gearing I9 meshing -with an annular gear 20 on the annulus and driven from a shaft 2I driven from a suitable source of power (not shown). The annulus I1 carriers a cam ring 22 whereon needle raising cams and needle lowering cams are secured. Some of the needles are formed with long butts 23, and the remaining needles with short butts 24, and suitable raising cams are provided in advance of the passage of the main-yarn feeds. In advance of some or all of the main-yarn feeds I4 (all in the present instance) needle raising cams 25 which raise all the needles to a latch clearing position are provided. In instances where knitting of loops at each main-yarn feed isv not desired, cams which raise only the long butt needles to a partially-advanced yarn-receiving position in advance of the passage of certain of the main-yarn'feeds may be provided. Needle retracting cams 21 serve to retract all advanced needles after the passage of the main-yarn feeds andat other points where needle retraction is desirable.

In the exemplified form, the machine is adapted for the knitting in jersey fashion of the main yarn from at least certain of thel main-yarn feeds, with or without the incorpo-1 ration of other main yarn in laying-in or interlock fashion at other of the main-yarn feeds,

forms a part of a yarn-guide member 30, which,l

in the present instance, is formed of dat spring# steel, and mounted in a manner hereinafter to be described on a ring 3I which is freely supported on a ring 32 carried by the posts I6. The ring 3| carries an annui-ar gear 33 meshing with gears 34, affixed, respectively, to shafts 35 journaled in a casting 36 which is secured to the posts I6. Aixed to the lower end of each shaft 35 is a gear 3l, meshing with an annular gear 38, carried on a station-ary dial 39 which is secured to and supported by extensions 40 of the ridges between the slotsS. The ring 3I, accordingly, while supported by a rotating annulus 32, is maintained stationary thru the medium of the duplicate gearing, the operation of which is controlled from the stationary dial 39. iliary-yarn feeds from bobbins 4| thru the medium of suitable conducting members including a yarn retarder 42 and a yarn-tensioning means including an eyelet 43 carried on a spring 44.

Each of the auxiliary-yarn feeds is adapted to move back and forth across all or some of a limited group of needles. In the exemplied form of construction, for the purpose of erfectuating this back-and-forth movement, there is provided driving means actuated by a rotatable annulus 45, which is supported by a ledge 46 on the ring 3| and is driven by means including arms 4I connected with the spider I2 so as to rotate in unison therewith. In the present instance, all of the yarn-guide members 38 are mounted for operation from 'a single reciprocable ring 48 which is mounted for free movement on the ring 3 I. The reciprocable ring 48 has secured thereto at one or more points thereon a stud 56 which extends into a slot 5| in the arm 52 of a bell crank lever 53 which is pivoted at 54 to the ring 3|. The other arm 55 of the bell cranklever carries at a point inward of the lever a roller 56 which is disposed in the path of each of a plurality of cams 57 carried on the rotatable annulus 45. Each cam is so shaped that when it passes it will raise the roller 56 and will swing the bell crank lever 53 on its pivot 54 to move the ring 48 to the left in Fig. 5, the slot 5| being of such shape that there will be no tendency to displace the ring 48 vertically. 'Ihe shape of each @am 51 is Such that it Win 'hold the rouer raised, and ring 48 in its moved position, for a desired period and will then permit the roller to trip and the ring to be drawn back by a spring 58.l There are provided on the ring 48 a plurality of plates 60, corresponding in number to the number of yarn-guide members 36. Bridging each space between successive plates 68 is a spring unit comprising a spring 6| one end of which grips a stud 62 on one plate and the other end of which grips the throw 64 of a crank 65 mounted in the ring 3|, and a similar spring 66 which grips a stud 61 on an adjacent plate and also the throw 64 of the crank 65. Each crank 65 carries at a point exteriorly of the ring 3| a crank pin 68 at the end of an arm 69, and on this pin 68 is mounted the upper end of the yarn guide member 30, the lower end of which carries the yarn guide portion 29. Freely mounted on a pin l0, carried more or less centrally of the yarnguiding member 38 is a link 1| xed to the shaft 'l2 journaled in the ring 3|, and secured by a head 73. The pin 68 forms part of a screw 14 and the pin 18 forms part of a screw l5, the heads of these screws acting to prevent bending of the upper part of the spring steel yarn-guiding member 36. The maximum possible length of a stroke of the yarn-guiding portion 29 will accordingly be determined by the length of the various links and crank arms involved. Preferably, and as exemplied, the length f the stroke will be such that each movement of the yarnguide 29 will be greater than the greatest extent of a design to be formed therefrom, so as to assure the proper feeding of the yarn to the needles raised, and to facilitate varying the width of patterns.

It is to be observed that the exemplified arrangement of the cranks is such that the tip o the yarn-guiding portion 29 will always move in a horizontal plane so that yarn Will be fed to the needles therefrom at the same level regardless The auxiliary yarn is supplied to the aux@ of the position in its stroke at which yarn-guiding member may be. In order that the strokes of the yarn-guiding portions 29 may conform to the arc of the group of needles past which it moves, there is provided on the Stationary ring 3| in connection with each member 30, at a position spaced below the lowermost position of the pin 70, a cam 'I6 having an inclined surface adapted to bear against a detent 11 formed in the member 38 at a point spaced beneath the pin '10. Since the member 30 is formed of spring steel, it will swing outwardly under influence of the cam 16. The shape of this surface is such that the arc of movement of the tip of the portion 29 will conform to the arc of the needle bed. The vertical extent of the cam 16 is desirably sumcient to'ernbrace the vertical movement of the detent 11, altho, of course, a cam exactly conforming to the path of movement of the detent may be employed.

The mechanism such as above described will operate admirably for the formation of patterns of substantially uniform Width, such as substantially vertical stripes, squares, and the like, and will also operate for the production of variable width patterns. In the formation of patterns which vary considerably in width, however, there will be occasions when large amounts of yarn will have to be rapidly taken up from time to time by the yarn-tensioning means 43. This not only results in a considerable wear on the yarn, but also requires a-tensioning means -of such strength that an especially thin yarn may be broken thereby. Also, the provision of special instrumentalities is required to prevent yarn drawn out to one side or other of the pattern from being caught by the sinkers. In order to avoid the foregoing and other difliculties, there are provided in accordance with the invention means to vary the actual stroke of the yarn-guiding portion 29 in accordance with the extent of the pattern at the particular point of activity of the yarn-guiding member at a given period of the operation; the 4stroke being, however, greater than the extent of the pattern whether the extent of the stroke is large or small. end exemplied comprises a spring steel control nger 80, mounted on the pin 'I8 and carrying a lug 8| guided in an arcuate slot B2 formed in the yarn-guiding member 38 above the pin 178, the width of the lug being somewhat less than the extent of the slot, so that tendencies toward movement of the member 39 will tend to impart to the finger 66 movement which is similar in direction, but less in extent than the movement of the member 38. The fingers 88 are formed on the lower ends with outward bends 83 in the path of which selected ones of a plurality of stops 84 are adapted to be disposed. These stops 84 form a part of members 85 slidably disposed in slots 36 in the dial 39, and carrying at their ends resilient members 8'! each having a compressible portion 8,8. The slidable members 85 are uniformly spaced about the machine, at least one member 85 being provided for each of a successive number of needles in each group. In the present instance the number of members- 85 is equal to the number of needles, but each member 85 is arranged to be operated by either of two needles as exemplified, or by any of a number of needles if desired, so that, even tho only spaced needles are raised, a suitably positioned stop member will still be actuated.

The members 85 are slidable between the in'- Ward position in which the stops 84 will be in The particular means to this` the path of movement of the bends 83 of the control members 80 and an outward position in which the stops 84 will be out of the path of such movement. As will be apparent, when the mem- `bers 85 'are all in an inward position, the control members are held against movement in either direction, Whereas if certain of the stops adjacent a control member are in an outward position, the control member can move in at least one direction until it encounters a stop which is in an inward position. Accordingly whenever it is desired to limit the swing of the yam-guiding members 30, it is only necessary to have suitable stops f amountof this movement will be added to the,

amount of movement which its yam-guiding member will have when the control member is held against movement, and when a control member is permitted to have a large movement, the amount of this movement will likewise beadded to the amount of movement which its yarn-guiding member will have when the control member is held against movement. In advance of each needle wave for the incorporation of yarn from the yarn guides 29 (which wave will be referred to as a design wave) and at a time when the ring 48 is stationary, a cam 90 carried by the rotating framework 36 moves all of the members 85 to the inward position, so that they may be selectively moved outwardly. In accordance with the present inventio-n in certain of its aspects, this movement occurs while the needles are retracted and the needles thus may be utilized to selectively effectuate outward movement of such stops as it is desired to be inoperative. To this end each needle is formed with an outwardly extending -portion 9|, having a cam surface 92 adapted to bear against a cooperating end portion 93 of the resilient member B1. above indicated, spans two needles, so that, if either or both of these needles are raised, the end portion 93 will be thrust to an outward position. The raising of either needle (or, if the end-portion spans three or more needles, the raising of any one or more of these needles) may thus result in the removal of the stop. This facilitates the formation of designs wherein the design yarn is incorporated in the fabric without knitting as by a laying-in procedure, in which event alternate needle (or other spacings of needles) are partially raised to receive yarn without casting. By controlling the position of the stop members in accordance with the needle action, the movement of the yarn guiding member in any particular instance is made dependent upon the particular needles raised, and the knitting of design formations, such as zigzags, diamonds, and the like,

without the drawing out of excessive amounts of yarn, is greatly facilitated, since stop members will be in place at all positions, except the positions where needles are actually raised to receive yarn for making a particular part of the design.

In Fig. 5 it is to be noted that yarn guiding members 30 shown are exemplified as having diflferent amounts of swing in accordance With different settings of the stops Whibh limit the movement of their respective contrl fingers 8|), The yarn guide members illustrated in this figure are indicated at A, B, C, D, E, and F, and the extent Each end portion 93, as

of movement of each of these yarn guide members, as well as the extent of any movement of each control finger associated therewith, when the reciprocable ring 48 is shifted to the left of Fig. 5 is indicated in dotted lines. of the yarn guide A is held in a central position and the yarn guide A has only its lost-motion movement. The control iinger of the yarn guide B is permitted a small movementfby the particular setting of the stops, so that the yarn guide B has a small movement. The control finger of the yarn guide C is permitted a large movement, and the yarn guide C will have a large movement in addition to its lost motion. The control member of the yarn guide D is held by the action of the stops in a position fully to the left of Fig. 5, and yarn guide D will only have its lost motion but this will take place in a leftward position. It is to be noted that by its lost motion the yarn guide D is drawn out of the way of the yarn guide C as the latter is moved to the right of Fig. 5, so that, even tho the guides are aligned-as, for example,

` in an outwardposition, as hereinafter explained,

the guides will not contact each other. The yarn guide E has a large movement similar to the movement of the yarn guide C; andthe yarn guide F has amovement similar to that vof the yarn guide B.

In order tha't the fingers 89 may be extended down to contact stop members operated by elements on the needle bed, it is necessary that special means be provided for rotating the sinker cam ring. To this end there is provided one or more gear trains each comprising a shaft 95 journaled to a bearing 96 mounted on a bracket 91, which is supported on the dial 39. At the end of the shaft 95 are pinions 91 and 98 meshing, re-4 spectively, with annular gears on the framework 36 and the sinker-cam-ring Il. As will be seen in Fig. 4, those fingers which are in juxtaposition with the bearing 96 are bent as at |90 and IUI so as not to be interrupted in their course by the bearing 96. Their bends 83 will, however, be in the same relative position as, and operate exactly similar to, the bends on those iingers 80 which are straight.

In order to selectively control the needles at the design portions, there may be provided any suitable form of Iselective mechanism. The form particularly exempliiied is similar to the form shown in Figs. 1-13 of my Patent 1,792,647, and for'a detailed description of the same and of the operationv thereof reference may be had to said patent.

As will be seen, there is provided in each of 5 the needle slots 6 at a point beneath the needles a jack H0 having a butt HI adapted to be engaged by a cam H2 which, it is to be noted, lis of less vertical extent than the cam 42 of my said Patent 1,792,647, since the latter cam is designed to raise the needles to fully advanced position, whereas the cam H2 in the present case is designed to raise selective needles only to lpartially advanced position. The jacks H0 are, of course, frictionally set in the slots, and in advance of each design wave, a vcam H3 moves the jacks outwardly to the position in which their butts IH will be engaged by the cam H2. Prior to the passage of the cam H2, however, all or some of these jacks may be thrust inwardly by selected 7 (l slidable elements H4. The needles associated with the jacks which are pressed inwardly by the elements H4 will accordingly not be raised by the cam H2, whereas needles which are not moved inwardly by jacks will be selected by the 'It The control nger 5 

